Explanation
Background: This legislation authorizes the amendment of the scope of prior ordinances approved to fund the Department of Development’s Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Interior Grant Program and the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Exterior Grant Program.
The Department of Development has two grant programs that support the renovation of small businesses in the city’s Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization (“NCR”) areas, which include Franklinton, Hilltop, Main Street, Parsons Avenue, Long Street, Mount Vernon, and Cleveland Ave in Linden. Historically, these two programs were separate programs and each piece of funding legislation specifically stated it was for “exterior”, “façade”, or “storefront” improvements or “interior” improvements. The department wishes to combine the two programs into one grant program, the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Interior/Exterior Grant Program.
Allowing the funds to be used for either interior or exterior renovation allows for improved programmatic and financial efficiency of the program. The Development Department began a pilot program funding interior improvements in 2014 and has learned that many businesses apply for and receive grants for both interior and exterior renovations. Merging these funds will allow for increased efficiency for small businesses and the department in administering the funds.
This legislation amends prior ordinances 1023-2012 and 2739-2013 to allow funds from the separate programs to be used to fund either interior or exterior renovations.
Emergency action is requested to prevent disruption in the grant program.
Title
To authorize the amendment of the scope of prior ordinances (1023-2012 and 2739-2013) approved to fund the Department of Development’s Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Interior Grant Program and the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Exterior Grant Program; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Development to wishes to combine the department’s Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Interior Grant Program and the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Exterior Grant Program into one program; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend prior authorizing ordinances 1023-2012 and 2739-2013 to allow funds from the separate programs to be used to fund either interior or exterior renovations under the new program; and
WHEREAS, allowing the funds to be used for either interior or exterior renovation allows for improved programmatic and financial efficiency of the program; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to amend the ordinances in order to authorize the changes in scope of existing Auditor’s Certificates be used for interior or exterior grants in order to prevent disruption to the grant program, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the following ordinance is hereby amended as follows in order to allow the funds to be used for interior or exterior small business renovation projects:
Ordinance No. 1023-2012
“SECTION 3. That the Director of the Department of Development be and is hereby authorized to provide façade interior and exterior improvement grants in Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization areas which include Franklinton, Hilltop, Main Street, Parsons Avenue, Long Street/Mount Vernon, Main Street and North/South Linden. as part of the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Interior/Exterior Grant Program.”
"SECTION 4. For the purpose as stated in Section 3, the expenditure of $250,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed for the façade interior and exterior improvement grants, is hereby authorized from Dept/Div: 44-01, Fund 748, OCA 748411, Project 748411-100000, OJL One 06, OJL Three 6639."
SECTION 2. “Section 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized and directed to enter into contract with Finance Fund for the purpose of administering the Façade Improvement Grant Fund to provide façade improvement grants in Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization areas, which include Franklinton, Hilltop, Main Street, Parsons Avenue, Long Street/Mount Vernon, Main Street and North/South Linden. That Ordinance 2739-2013, passed on December 2, 2013, is hereby amended to allow the Economic Development Division of the Department of Development to replace the Finance Fund as the administrator of the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Interior/Exterior Grant Program.”
SECTION 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.